Tragedy inquiry finds plane was overweight

The scene of the fatal crash. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A skydiving firm maintains it is operating safely after a plane crash that killed nine people and a report suggesting the aircraft was too heavy and out of balance.

Skydive New Zealand will not comment directly on the interim report by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission on the September 4 crash soon after takeoff at Fox Glacier that killed one of its directors, four employees and four tourists.

The commission estimated in its report that the Fletcher FU24-954 aircraft was 5kg over its maximum certified limit of 2203kg, and that the plane's centre of gravity was 0.115m outside the allowable aft (towards the tail) limit of 0.645m.

Whether this could have caused the crash is still to be determined.

Skydive NZ director John Kerr said the firm began operating again about a month ago with a smaller crew and smaller aircraft and was "nowhere near as busy".

But safety was the number-one priority, as it had always been.

When it came to the estimated weight of the aircraft, "estimated" was the key word, Mr Kerr said.

The pilot, Chaminda Senadhira, 33, was yesterday remembered as "very professional".

"He was an awesome pilot ... Everyone else who knew him would say the same," said his former partner Tabitha Coyle, mother of his child.

Commission investigator Ian McClelland said the weight of the plane was not so much an issue as the "position of that weight about the aircraft".

"We just identified that as an initial safety concern. We're not saying that's the cause of the accident. Until we do a more accurate weight and balance for the aircraft, we can't say what effect that would have had on the ability of the pilot to control the aircraft.

"Obviously as the centre of gravity moves further aft, it is going to increasingly restrict the pilot's ability to control the aircraft, till it reaches a point where it could not be controlled," Mr McClelland said.

Restricting the number of passengers and making sure they were seated well forward would ensure an aircraft was within its centre of gravity limits.

The commission also recommended parachutists be restrained on the aircraft to stop them moving about.